The Texas man arrested for stalking WNBA star Caitlin Clark was disruptive almost as soon as he entered an Indianapolis courtroom on Tuesday, Jan 14.
Making his initial court appearance for the case, 55-year-old Michael Thomas Lewis sat back in his chair and said “guilty as charged” while Judge Angela Davis opened the proceedings.
Lewis continued interrupting the judge until she told him to “stop talking.” He faces one count of felony stalking after he allegedly sent repeated threats and sexually explicit messages to Clark via social media. Despite several outbursts, the judge entered a plea of “not guilty” for Lewis.
Prosecutors say the messages posted by Lewis on X “actually caused Caitlin Clark to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated or threatened.” In response, Clark “altered her public appearances and patterns of movement due to fear for her safety.”
One message from Lewis to Clark read: “Been driving around your house 3x a day. But don’t call the law just yet.” Other messages contained elements of sexual violence. Police traced the IP address used to send the messages to an Indianapolis hotel.
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears released a statement before the hearing. He said, “No matter how prominent a figure you are, this case shows that online harassment can quickly escalate to actual threats of physical violence.
It takes a lot of courage for women to come forward in these cases, which is why many don’t. In doing so, the victim is setting an example for all women who deserve to live and work in Indy without the threat of sexual violence.”
Clark shot to stardom after leading the Iowa Hawkeyes to the NCAA Championship game in April. She is the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer. This past season, she was named WNBA Rookie of the Year after guiding the Indiana Fever to the playoffs.
Lewis said he would not post his $50,000 bail. However, should he be released, the judge ordered him to stay away from the arenas where the Fever play games and avoid contact with Clark. He faces one to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted.
